Bob Rusten, of Halifax, was reelected to the Vermont House of Representatives for a fourth term. Rusten had faced opposition from Chris Richter, of Wilmington.

Democrat Sheila Prue won the Windham County Sheriff’s race, beating department veteran and Republican candidate Henry Farnum, who had been appointed to the position after the retirement of sheriff Bill Graham. Farnum had been favored to win, and he blamed the loss on the efforts of a Windham County daily newspaper, which had made the race a special focus with a series of above-the-fold articles critical of Farnum’s department as well as other candidates in the race. Prue later resigned in disgrace after pleading guilty to embezzling or misusing as much as $36,000 in department funds.

15 years ago:

Les Otten’s American Skiing Company, owner of Mount Snow, went public, selling stock in the company to raise capital to buy two more resorts. The purchase would make ASC the largest ski resort operator in the United States. Within a few years, Otten was ousted, his empire collapsed under a mountain of debt, and the assets were seized and sold off by creditors.

Stratton Mountain was ready to fire up its snowmaking system using what they said was the largest snowmaking pond in the world. Resort officials said they built the holding pond after visitor surveys indicated that skiers wanted “as much coverage as possible on as many trails as possible.”

20 years ago:

Valley voters supported Democratic Party candidate Bill Clinton in his bid against incumbent George H.W. Bush. It was a change in valley voting trends.

Valley Trail proponents held an open house for property owners abutting the proposed path in an effort to “clear up any concerns.”

A mysterious unidentified buyer purchased the abandoned shell of a building and land “with a breathtaking view” at an auction in Wardsboro. According to reports, the man who built the house lived, “with many cats,” in a smaller building on the property, which had since fallen into disrepair. He “disappeared into the night” and the property was eventually seized.

25 years ago:

The town of Dover agreed to settle on a final payment on the debt of former Dover Town Manager John Roque. Ten years earlier Roque embezzled $24,572.35 from the town. Over the ensuing decade, he paid back $14,000, but payments dwindled until he paid only $10 in 1986. Roque’s attorney claimed Roque was suffering from a medical problem, and offered the town a “full and final” payment of $4,200.

30 years ago:

The race for representative from Vermont attracted candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as candidates from Liberty Union Party, Citizens Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Small is Beautiful Party (which won a small 80 votes). Republican Jim Jeffords, the incumbent, easily bested his opponents.

Wilmington voters supported a three-month moratorium on commercial building, 314 to 246, putting plans to build a new shopping center (now Shaw’s Market plaza) on hold until spring. Voters overwhelmingly supported the adoption of a building code, 502 to 121. Voters also supported a measure to “encourage the commercial and residential development of the town so that it will retain its rural character for the future,” 515 to 100.

Bill Hamilton, of Wilmington, and Kenalene Collins, of Readsboro, were elected to the Vermont Legislature.

Wilmington had a record 711 ballots cast in the 1972 election. President Richard M. Nixon found a lot of support in the valley, and in the rest of the state. But in spite of the state’s strong showing for the Republican incumbent, voters picked Democrat Thomas P. Salmon as Vermont governor, bucking a national trend. Valley voters, however, picked the Republican candidate, Luther F. Hackett.